Why So Many More Americans Die in Fires

``Why So Many More Americans Die in Fires'' is the headline on Page 3 of The New York Times' full-page story on December 22, l991, by D. G. McNeil, Jr. This is a partial report based on personal experience with domestic fire making for thermal comfort since l975 (1) and a published claim (2) of unique safety benefits.The McNeil report attributes the problem to ``A Case of Bad Attitude'' and ``A Reliance on Technology.'' That implies a ``bad attitude'' on the part of technologists - a conclusion consistent with this technologist's thirty-five years of experience with fellow technologists, who has found ``buck-passing'' the favorite recourse of technologists in the highest places in government even though, as McNeil has written, ``Many children never wake up. Smoke or toxic gases overcome them as they sleep. When fire fighters lift them, their imprints remain.'' Regrettably, in this author's experience, the courts have also displayed a ``bad attitude'' where ``life and death issues'' have been pleaded. 1. L. Cranberg, Slot Flame Stablity with Hohlraum Radiation Pattern, BAPS, Series II, Vol. 20, No. 9, Sept., l978. 2. L. Cranberg, Fireplace Firesafety, Fire Journal, Letter, May/June,l987